Understanding Anger
I. The Definition of Anger (Ephesians 4:26-32)
A. Disposition of the mind that entertains antagonism towards another individual, manifesting itself in various emotions and actions. (Genesis 4:1-8, Mark 3:1-6)
B. Anger is an attitude that results in emotions that move into action.
(Proverbs. 14:17,29,15:18,16:32,19:19,22:24-25)
C. Anger can be godly/righteous indignation- To be troubled or disgusted in attitude or action as a result of someone disgracing God or disregarding His Holy Laws. (Exodus 32:1-30, Ephesians 4: 26-27, John 2:12-17, Nehemiah 5:1-13)
D. Anger can be worldly/sinful of man- to have ungodly attitudes and actions as a result of some perceived need, desire, personal preference /standard not being met by someone or being offended by someone (Numbers 20:1-13, Ephesians 4:31-32, I Samuel 18:6-8, 20:24-34; James 1:19-20, Matthew 5:21-22)
II. The Deliberation on Righteous Indignation Vs. Worldly/Sinful Anger of Man
(Ephesians 4:26-32)
A. Godly Anger or Righteous Indignation is the exception to the rule; Very seldom when one is angry is it about the things that disgrace God or disregard His Holy Laws. When one is walking in righteous indignation he/she is filled with desire to see justice done for the glory of God (not self) as he/she is walking by the Spirit of God in this kind of anger. When one does act in Godly anger or righteous indignation he/she is commanded to deal with it before the day is over so that the devil does not use it against him/her to lead him/her into sin.
B. Generally, when people are angry it has nothing to do with someone disgracing God or disregarding His Holy Laws; They are not thinking about God, God’s holy laws, God’s righteousness, God’s will or God’s ways; They are thinking about themselves, their feelings, their wants, or their needs. They are self-centered, not God-centered. They are preoccupied with what they crave, and are mostly concerned about the means to the end that is not providing that craving or something that is hindering that craving from being realized.
C. Therefore, most of the time when people are angry it is generally worldly/ sinful anger of man; What they want within the situation is not granted; They are receiving something they do not want or they are not receiving what they want.
D. As a result of not receiving what they want or getting what they don’t want, ungodly attitudes and actions begin to manifest; Instead of being thankful to God for how he will use the situation or accepting what God has allowed in the situation they become negative and ungodly in thoughts, words, actions, and relational patterns.
III. The Details of Life that Can lead to Worldly/Sinful Anger of Man
A. Worldly/ sinful anger of man may occur as a result of misplaced dependency- depending on people, place, things, or events to provide what only God provides.
B. Worldly/ sinful anger of man may occur as a result of unrealistic expectations- expecting things that are beyond the scope of possibility.
C. Worldly/sinful anger of man may occur as a result of being untrained in handling disappointments- not accepting the fallibility of people, places, things and events.
D. Worldly/sinful anger of man may occur as a result of not accepting powerlessness over people, places, outcomes of events- resisting the fact that you were not designed to control people and outcome of events.
IV. The Desires that become Demands of the Heart which is the source of Worldly/Sinful Anger of Man (James 4:1-2)
A.When the desire to be affirmed becomes a demand to be affirmed, worldly/sinful anger of man results when your demands are not met.
B. When the desire to not be put down by others becomes a demand not to be put down by others, worldly/sinful anger of man results when your demands are not met.
C. When the desires that are centered on things of this life become a demand for things of this life, worldly/ sinful anger of man results when your demands are not met:
I. You walk in worldly/sinful anger of man when you demand__________ and do not get it:
- To have control , To be loved, To be accepted, To be understood
- To never hurt again, To be respected, To be served, To have your way
- To be viewed as competent, To be approved of, To belong to someone
- To be held in high regard, To maintain a favorable position with people
D. When the desire for people to do or handle things your way or for life to go your way becomes a demand, worldly/ sinful anger of man results when your demands are not met.
V. The Different Expressions of Worldly/ Sinful Anger of Man (Ephesians 4:31)
A. Bitterness- resentment
B. Wrath- intense fury or rage
C. Anger – deep seated hostility within the heart toward another
D. Clamor- verbal fighting with people/ Slander- ugly words, mean words in reference to someone’s reputation, verbal abuse in reference to someone’s character
VI. Wrong ways people deal with anger (James 1:19-20, Ephesians 4:26-27)
A. Suppress- acting like it does not exist
B. Aggression- openly expressed anger at someone else’s expense
C. Passive Aggressive- indirectly expressed anger at someone else’s expense.
D. Do not deal with it before the day is done
VII. The Right Way to Deal with Anger (James 1:19, Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:1-8)
A. Acknowledge your anger
B. Confess the sin of your anger
C. Identify the details of life whereby you have chosen to be angry
D. Identify the specific desires you have been demanding to be fulfilled by God, people, places, events resulting in responding in anger as a result of not getting your way
E. Accept your inability to control God, people, and the outcome of circumstances
F. Accept these conditions:
- The Person may be willing and able
- The Person may be willing and unable
- The Person may be unwilling and able
- The Person may be unwilling and unable
- It may be a desire that was not meant to be satisfied
G. Accept responsibility for your unloving thoughts, attitudes, words, and deeds, in the situation
H. Repent of unloving thoughts, attitudes, words, and deeds, in the situation
I. Choose to serve and love others unconditionally
J. Follow the Biblical Mandate according to the relationship (1Cor13:4-7)
- Husband/Wife (Eph. 5:18-33, Col. 3:18-19, I Peter 3:1-12)
- Children (Eph. 6:1-2, Col. 3:20)
- Parent (Eph. 6:4, Col. 3:21, Deut. 6:6-9, Prov. 22:6)
- Friends (Prov. 27:5-6, Prov. 17:17,Prov. 27:9, Prov. 18:24)
- Others (I Peter 3:8-12, Rom. 12:9-21, Gal. 6:1-10)
- Leaders (I Tim. 4:16, Heb. 13:7, 17;I Peter 5:5, I Tim. 5:17-22, Luke 6:40)
- Employer/Employee (Eph. 6:5-9, I Peter 2:18-29)
- Government (Rom.13:1-2, I Peter 2:13-17)
- Enemies (Luke 6:27-36)
K. Don’t allow it to go beyond that day (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Taken from:
Dr. Nicolas Ellen
Expository Counseling Center
www.mycounselingcorner.com